SURREY Police has made “significant progress” in improving its poor response to 101 non-emergency calls.

In the efficiency report published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), the force retained its ‘good’ rating and was commended for making headway in 101 responses - an area criticised as ‘not good enough’ last year.

In April 2016, one in four of these calls were going unanswered, but the number of abandoned 101 calls has reduced the 2017 report stated, “through a thorough review of processes and the introduction of an effective quality assurance mechanism, which has also improved the quality of the service it provides in relation to all calls from the public”.

Surrey Police spent 49p per head over the year, compared to 55p nationally, HMICFRS commended it on the efficiency front, for “a good understanding of current demand from analysing a wide range of police data” and being “good at assessing its priorities and meeting different areas of demand”.

However the report said improvement was required the force’s use of resources to manage that demand.

Surrey “works well with other forces, particularly Sussex Police, and is seeking new opportunities for collaborative working to achieve further savings”. It is keen to exploit technological advances and it is prioritising neighbourhood policing in its operating model.

Two forces were graded ‘outstanding’, 30 forces - including Hampshire and Sussex - as ‘good’, 10 forces as ‘requiring improvement’ and none as ‘inadequate’. Two more forces than last year were graded as requiring improvement.

Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner David Munro said: “I am encouraged to see the sustained effort Surrey Police has made over the last year to ensure the efficiency with which they operate.

“Following last year’s efficiency report, I highlighted the urgent need for improvement in the force’s 101 response. So I was particularly pleased to see the HMICFRS recognise the ‘significant progress’ Surrey Police has made in reducing the number of abandoned 101 calls and the quality of service provided in relation to all calls from the public.

“There is always room for improvement of course and areas needing attention have been highlighted, such as how well Surrey Police is using its resources, and understanding the workforce’s capabilities.

“Bearing in mind the current strain on the budget, these are important areas to address and I am committed to working with the Chief Constable to implement any improvements required.”